


Dilemma

by gladestry



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:35:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25120975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gladestry/pseuds/gladestry
Summary: Prince Sokka, next in line for the Chief of the Northern Water Tribe, wasn’t sure what to expect when he met Prince Zuko.
Relationships: Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 133





	1. Listen

“Now introducing his highness, Prince Sokka!” The water tribe attendant announced quite loudly as Sokka entered the room. The attendant bowed respectfully as he passed by.

From across the room and sitting on the right side of her father, Yue sent him a small smile. Sokka nodded slightly in acknowledgment. He proceeded to walk elegantly over to the other side of Chief Arnook. He settled in quickly and quietly.

”We now can began the meeting,” Arnook declared. Sokka easily resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He’d been through what seems like thousands meetings like this, and usually he’d be _very_ interested in war meetings, but today’s meeting was not one of those war meetings Sokka held in high esteem.

As the important people droned on about how hunting has been, new hunting spots, and _blah blah blah,_ the prince practically dozed off. He kept his eyes open and cold, relentless, but his mind was elsewhere. Sokka rarely let himself daydream through meetings, but today’s was especially dreadful.

He dreamt of becoming a warrior. A general, maybe. Not quite chief. _He’d leave that role for Yue_. In his dream, he donned traditional water tribe warrior clothing. He was leading an army to war. Sokka’s mind drifted. Now, he was standing alone with nothing but his wits and a sword. He stood in front of a small group of women and children, ready to give his life to protect them from the intruders. A girl with odd hair loops stood beside him, her hands poised to water bend. Without warning, one of the intruders sent a fire blast his way.

”Prince Sokka.”

His father- _why did it feel wrong to call Arnook that?_ \- His father’s voice stirred him out of his dream. “Yes, Father?” He responded almost immediately, keeping his eyes downcast out of respect.

”The meeting is over.” He paused to fully look at Sokka. “Are you alright, Sokka?”

”I’m fine, Father. You have no need to worry for me,” Sokka replied. Oh spirits, he _hated_ being formal all the time. Especially to his own father. _Princes always show respect_ , he harshly reminded himself. _Princes do not falter in their duties as a royal. Spirits, why couldn’t he have been born as a common citizen? Common citizens have more freedom than princes do._ He sighed inwardly.

”If you say so,” Arnook gave in without much fight. He left soon after. Sokka and Yue quickly followed their father out.

* * *

As soon as Sokka was out of earshot of Arnook, he breathed out a big sigh. “Ugh, that was so boring,” he admitted with no remorse.”

”I thought you liked attending these meetings?” Yue inquired curiously.

”I like going to war meetings, not meetings about pointless endeavors.” Sokka clicked his tongue in annoyance, making a ‘tch’ sound. “It bores me.”

Yue’s eyes softened. ”A lot of things have been boring to you lately. Is something bothering you, Sokka?”

”No,” he snapped harshly at her. She didn’t flinch back from his outburst. “Why does everyone assume something is bothering me?! I just-.. Ugh, forget it.”

”It’s okay to be frustrated about something,” she soothed. “I won’t push you to tell me. Whatever it is though, I’m sure will get better soon.”

Sokka’s sharp, ice blue eyes met Yue’s soft ones. She wore a gentle, reassuring smile. _When was the last time Sokka smiled?_ He wondered idly to himself. He adverted his gaze quickly. “It’s nothing,” he dismissed, his tone suggesting no room for argument.

”Sokka-“

”It’s nothing,” he repeated more to himself than to his sister- _it felt wrong to call Yue that, too. Why did he feel like that title belonged to someone else?_ “I’m going now. Don’t follow me.” He sent one final gaze towards Yue before retreating someplace else.

The someplace else ended up being the most spiritual place in the Northern Water Tribe. Sokka sat down on the grass, staring blankly at the fish swimming in the pond. This was where he often found himself going to. He didn’t know why, but this place calmed him. He told the spirits (who took the form of two fish) everything, ranging from how his day has been to his deepest, darkest secrets. Deep down, he felt in his heart that the spirits heard him. They listened, and to Sokka, that was the most important thing- but also dangerous.

Someone who could listen was very dangerous. Sokka knew just how dangerous someone with information is, and he learned it the hard way. Subconsciously, his left hand rose to grip at his right forearm. He barely noticed how tightly he held himself. “Oh spirits,” he murmured. “What’s wrong with me? Why do I feel so out of place here?”

The spirits, as usual, stayed silent. Sokka continued. “I’ve been getting these thoughts lately. That something is wrong. That I’m not supposed to be here. What’s wrong with me?”

Sokka’s thoughts were a mess, and his rambling reflected that. Eventually, his voice slowly died out. He took a few deep breathes as he collected his thoughts. “I belong here,” he firmly stated. “I am Prince Sokka of the Northern Water Tribe. My father is Chief Arnook, and my sister is Princess Yue. I am next in line as Chief.” He repeated the phrase a few more times to try to reassure himself. It didn’t work as well as he hoped, though.

 _I hope something exciting happens soon,_ he prayed silently.

* * *

”Zuko,” Fire Lord Ozai addressed. “I have a mission for you.”

”I am ready for anything, Father,” Zuko affirmed eagerly. “I am ready to regain my honor. What is my mission?”

“Of course.” The edges of Ozai’s lips turned upwards in a small smile. “We have little to no information on the Water Tribe. Under the guise of learning about their culture, you will gather intel for me.”

“What kind of intel?”

”The kind that will topple an entire tribe. I’ve already made arrangements for you. You leave tomorrow at first light.”

Zuko paused. _Tomorrow? Isn’t that too soon?_ He wanted to say, but dutifully kept his mouth shut. The scar on his face ached slightly as he did so. “. . .Yes, Father.”

About ten-ish minutes later, Zuko found himself standing in front of Iroh. “Greetings, Water Tribe. I am Prince Zuko,” he spoke, his chin slightly turned upwards.

”No, Prince Zuko.” Iroh shook his head. “You must be more respectful when you greet them. Try again.”

Zuko nodded, determined. He fixed his chin and looked Iroh straight in the eye. “I am Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. It is an honor to be here, Chief Nook.”

”Arnook,” Iroh corrected gently. Zuko sighed. “Do not worry Prince Zuko. I’m sure your first impression will go well.”

”I have to make sure they don’t suspect anything. If I fail this mission, I won’t get my honor back.” Zuko balled his hands into fists at his side. Iroh’s eyes softened at the sight.

”You won’t fail,” he reassured. “I have faith in you.”

Zuko cast his gaze downwards. “Thank you, Uncle.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is my first time posting my work on this site so i’m not entirely sure how it works but.. i hope this was a good first chapter!


	2. Sail The Distance

_“Fire Nation!” A mature male voice yelled out, his voice reaching everyone’s ears easily due to how small their little village was. Shouts and heavy footsteps crunching through the snow followed quickly after._

_A little boy who had been huddling in a snow fort playing with his sister peeked his head over the white mounds. His sister darted off almost immediately, leaving the little boy to wander the village by his lonesome. He wasn’t afraid, though. He had faith the warriors of the village would protect them. Although, this would be his first battle. Excitement rushed through the young boy’s veins, and curiosity naturally rose up in him._

_With as much speed his small legs gave him, he rushed to get closer to the sounds of battle. “Dad?” He murmured, scanning the battle field. “Katara?”_

_The boy’s voice was easily drown out by the clashing of swords and the sounds of bending. He cautiously stepped out of the village area, and into the battle. No one paid him any mind as he explored. The little boy wasn’t entirely too sure why he was calling out names when he knew that no one would answer. The severity of the situation hadn’t yet settle in his young mind, so he ventured on. Inevitably, he stumbled upon a dying soldier donning the color blue laying on the snow. He clutched a large red spot on his torso, and the snow below him was beginning to match._

_”We’ve got to get you help!” The boy instinctively looked around, his round eyes searching for anyone to take the time to listen. “Someone help! He’s been injured badly!”_

_The soldier opened his mouth to talk. The only thing coming out of it was blood, not words. The boy’s own words died in his throat as he watched, his eyes glued to the gruesome sight. A lump seemed to form in his throat, preventing from speaking. The soldier seemed to understand that he wasn’t gonna be able to speak coherently to the little boy. As the life slowly trickled out of the man’s eyes, he weakly rose his hand and extended his index finger to point at something. Silently, the boy turned around to view what the soldier was pointing at._

_The boy was met with another man, this one donned in cruel red. He looked up at the man who looked ready to strike. He wore a helmet to cover his face. “What are you..?” The words escaped through the boy’s lips as he watched the man swing down his sword towards him._

_A scream. Then, silence._

* * *

Sokka’s eyes flew open and he sat up, panting heavily. His hands quickly reached up to his face. Ignoring the sweat forming, he felt around his face in search of something. He calmed down a few seconds later, his hands slowly falling back to his lap. _There’s nothing there. It was just a dream_ , he reassured himself. _Just a dream._

He stared at his hands for a little bit. He gently felt his palm, tracing the lines that decorated it. He’d always felt iffy about how soft his hands were. He slowly clenched his hand and unclenched it. _I’ll ask Father to teach me how to fight_ , he decided. _This time, I’ll convince him._ A smile began to appear on Sokka’s face. He imagined himself leading an attack on the Fire Nation. He would gather a large naval fleet and attack from the sea when the moon was at her highest. With the blessings of the spirits, he would-

A firm knock startled him. “Your highness?”

”Come in,” Sokka’s voice cracked. He coughed and cleared his throat. “I-I mean, come in.”

The door opened. A servant peered in. “Princess Yue has requested your presence in the dining hall, my prince.”

”I see.” Sokka nodded in acknowledgment, trying to pretend that his awkward voice crack didn’t happen. He rose from his bed. “Thank you for informing me. You may now take your leave.”

The servant bowed respectfully and left the same way he came in, making sure to close the door behind himself. A breath of relief escaped through the prince’s lips. “Stupid Sokka!” He scolded himself soon after. “Spirits above, that was embarrassing!” He dragged his hands down his face as if trying to wipe away the heat that rose to his cheeks during the encounter. Sokka groaned quietly in disapproval of himself.

Nevertheless, he soldiered on through his morning routine. Sokka did it slowly, as if trying to delay the inevitable of seeing that one servant again. _There’s a lot of servants here,_ he reasoned as he tied back his white hair that matched his sister Yue’s. _There’s a low chance I’ll see that one servant again._ His hands lingered on his ponytail. _I hope._

______

“Good morning Sokka,” Yue greeted politely with a smile. “Did you sleep well?”

Sokka found comfort in her smile, and found himself giving a small smile in return. “Yep! Slept like a baby,” he lied smoothly, but the bags sagging under his eyes betrayed his words. He blinked rapidly a few times, clearly trying to fight back the urge to yawn. He slid into his seat at the dining table across from Yue. “What about you?”

”I slept well,” she responded. Questions lingered in her own eyes, but she did not speak them.

”Where’s Father, by the way?” Sokka inquired, glancing around the large room.

Yue shifted in her seat uncomfortably. She bit her lip, and took her time answering. “Um, he’s attending an early morning meeting.” She lifted her fork to her mouth and ate a small piece of her food. The room was silent besides the bird song, sounds of children playing in the distance, and occasionally the swish of bending. The princess cast her gaze downwards towards her plate of food.

Sokka’s eyes didn’t leave Yue’s face. He opened and closed his mouth several times, a few expressions flickering in his eyes. “What kind of meeting?” He finally decided on saying.

”I am not sure. He did not say much to me.” She stood up quickly, her chair making a scraping noise as she did so. “I must be going now.”

”But you barely touched your food-“ Sokka began, but was cut off.

”I’m not hungry,” she told him. “I’ll see you later, Sokka.” She retreated out of the room, her personal attendants rushing to follow her. Soon, it was just Sokka sitting alone at the table with his own attendants standing around patiently.

Sokka angrily stabbed his fork into his food and stuffed it into his mouth. _Why am I always out of the loop?!_ He crunched loudly.

* * *

“Sokka,” Arnook called out to the passing prince. “Come over here.”

Sokka eagerly made his way over to the chief, excitement bubbling up in his chest. “Hey Father, I’ve been looking all over for you,” he practically cheered. “I need to ask you something. Can you teach me how to sword fight?”

“Later, Sokka,” the chief replied. “You have more important duties than that.”

”But-“

”No, Sokka,” Arnook firmly stated.

”I don’t even have any important duties besides standing and looking pretty!” Sokka argued. “What do I have to do to be able to wield a swor-“

The harsh look Arnook gave him silenced Sokka almost instantly. “You’re about to have a _very_ important duty. Fire Lord Ozai is sending his son, Prince Zuko, here to the Northern Water Tribe. You _will_ teach him about our culture and show him around. Show him the highest hospitality the Northern Water Tribe can give, Sokka. Am I clear?”

Sokka swallowed down the lump that formed in his throat. He nodded solemnly. “..Yes, Father.”

”Prince Zuko is set to arrive in a few days, weather willing,” Arnook stated. “Spend these few days learning how to smile. Dismissed.”

The prince bowed respectfully as he left, almost stomping away. “I can smile,” he muttered to himself, crunching snow beneath his lavish snow boots. “Stupid old man doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

Then, Sokka stopped walking. He gazed at the view overlooking the entire city and the ocean behind the wall. His heart ached to see what was beyond that horizon for a reason he could not place. _Fire Nation, huh_?

* * *

Zuko watched the Fire Nation grow smaller and smaller as his ship sailed North. He rested his arms on the metal railing, a distant glint in his eyes. He welcomed the breeze silently.

”Prince Zuko,” Iroh’s voice drew Zuko’s attention.

”Hello, Uncle. Is something wrong?” The scarred boy inquired curiously. Iroh smiled mysteriously.

”I have something you might want to see. It’s very interesting.” Iroh chuckled.

Zuko turned his body around to face Iroh. “What is it?”

Iroh beckoned for Zuko to follow. The older man led Zuko to his quarters. He pulled out a rolled up scroll and gently placed it on the table. “May I?” The prince unfurled the scroll as soon as he got the ok from his uncle.

Pouring two cups of tea, Iroh asked, “what do you think, Prince Zuko?”

However, Zuko didn’t seem to be listening. His eyes scanned the piece of paper over and over again, memorizing every line and color. It was a picture of Chief Arnook and his two children, Prince Sokka and Princess Yue. “Who.. Who are they?” His eyes didn’t leave the paper as he spoke.

“Chief Arnook and his two children; Prince Sokka and Princess Yue,” Iroh answered with a gentle smile. “The princess catch your eye, Prince Zuko?”

With his gaze lingering on the picture of Sokka, Zuko murmured, “Something like that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> second chapter done. sorry i don’t write long chapters,, but i’m trying my best to write longer ones. anyways, i hope this chapter was good!


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